The National Review Onine today reacted to Robert Blueys article on RedState.com questionng Michael Steele’s record while running GOPAC. Below is the well written responce to Mr. Bluey in which they detail all of the candidates running and a finger can be pointed at all of them not just Steele. In other words if   Steele is not qualified than none of them are.

The National Review: Over at RedState, Rob Bluey unloads on Michael Steele. In addition to issues that few would dispute are legitimate, like Steele’s record while running GOPAC, Bluey expands his criticism to include the liens that were placed on Steele’s house when his consulting business hit financial troubles, Steele’s work with the moderate Republican Leadership Council, his backing of former congressman Wayne Gilchrist, and his declaration that “we have to elect moderates in the party.”

Fine. But if the deciding factor for the next party chair is which one deviated from conservative orthodoxy the least over the course of his career, you’re going to have a close fight. Look hard enough, and you can find evidence of any of these candidates straying from the conservative position.

Ken Blackwell: Before he ran for governor, he sold off his stock in Barr Pharmaceuticals, which makes the morning-after pill, and IGT, the world’s leading maker of slot machines. He gave $80,000 in bonuses to his staff right before he left office, an unprecedented move that his Democratic successor called a waste of taxpayer money. According to the Columbus Dispatch, he backed Jimmy Carter in 1976.

Katon Dawson: Backed Gov. Mark Sanford’s tax plan that would have reduced income taxes but also would have raised the tax on cigarettes 971 percent (that is not a misprint; it was slated to increase from 7 cents to 68 cents per pack) and apply a sales tax to lottery tickets. He said that Giuliani’s pro-choice views “would not be a disqualifier” in his home state of South Carolina.

Mike Duncan: Worked in a party-sharing deal with Sen. Mel Martinez, whose term as general chairman was most noted for his criticism of the party’s base on illegal immigration. He backed Bono’s ONE Vote program, which includes a call to divert an additional one percent of the federal budget on foreign aid.

Chip Saltsman: He was the campaign manager for Mike Huckabee, a campaign that drove free-market conservatives to tear their hair out. (Saltsman said that his work for Huckabee doesn’t define him.)

Saul Anuzis: Former Michigan Senate candidate Jerry Zandstra claims Anuzis told him to “cool his jets” on affirmative action and abortion, a claim Anuzis denies. On illegal immigration, Anuzis told the Washington Times, “I would not oppose a system to legalize them and give them a different status to work and pay taxes here . . . but no citizenship.” He was a Teamster.

RNC DEBATE

Americans for Tax Reform hosted a debate between the candidates for Chairman of the Republicans National Committee today. A freind of HHR’s was at the actual event and according to them the entire event went well. 

If you want get a glimpse of what opccured here’s an interesting article from Amanda. http://townhall.com/columnists/AmandaCarpenter/2009/01/05/current_rnc_chairman_defends_losing_record

Highlights and Lowlights from the RNC Chair Debate-http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/